This State of the Retail Nation presentation will provide a comprehensive update of trends and issues in the retail industry and gives retailers the chance to have their voices heard and questions answered by leading experts.

………………………………………………………………………..Broadcast: Thursday 20 December 2018.Retail overview to finish 2018—with Kat FeeneyThis week—while Steve Austin is on holidays—the Retail Panel take a look at highlights as the 2018 retail year closes; the “better than Boxing Day”, pre-Christmas sales already underway; shopping trolley ‘grave yards’ around the suburbs of Brisbane; and a whole lot more.

………………………………………………………………………..Broadcast: Thursday 13 December 2018.Retail highlights from 2018!This week on the Retail Panel, the experts take a look at highlights from the year in retail; Woolworths new in-store organic offering; goodbye to Laura Ashley who is in voluntary administration again; Taco Bell’s massive expansion; Amazon’s ‘subscribe and save’ launched; what’s happening in the Taringa retail precinct; and a whole lot more.

………………………………………………………………………..Broadcast: Thursday 22 November 2018.Christmas shopping season is underway!This week on the Retail Panel, the experts take a look at Christmas shopping, as ‘Black Friday’ gets underway online—what are the hottest trends this year?

And something’s happening at Myer, but is it enough to get customers back in their stores?

………………………………………………………………………..Broadcast: Thursday 08 November 2018.Dogs and cats are big business…even at Christmas! According to IBISWorld industry report: “Australia has one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world (over 60% of Australian households own a pet—that is over 8m households/8.5m dogs and cats). As pets are increasingly ‘humanised’ more householders are spending more money on them—premium/gourmet/organic/gluten-free food; dietary supplements and vitamins; pet accessories (inc designer outfits) and treats; and services ie, Doggy Daycare.

And good news for Australia as Irish high-vis clothing brand, PortWest to open in Australia. Is this good news? What will it mean for the competition—Wesfarmers-owned Bunnings and their brands, Hard Yakka?

Bricks-and-mortar stores are fighting back online stores—by using their creativity! Greater focus on the in-store experience (such as personalisation while you wait (Kikki-k foil embossing), the visual merchandising in the store fronts (Peter Alexander), and greater use of technology.

………………………………………………………………………..Broadcast: Thursday 25 October 2018.Baby formula raids and that weird Aldi adThere were crazy scenes at a Melbourne supermarket recently when they briefly lifted the two tin limit to eight tins. The demand for Australian baby formula is still high in Asian countries after children were made sick from a faulty product a decade ago.

How do we solve this problem?

And what’s with that Aldi advertisement that mocks supermarket points systems?

………………………………………………………………………..Broadcast: Thursday 17 October 2018.The power of the ‘Meghan Effect” on Australian FashionWhen the Duchess of Sussex stepped out in Sydney wearing a dress made by an Australian designer, that designer’s website crashed. The dress sold out. And it happened to every other item of clothing Meghan Markle has worn in Australia. What is the power of the “Meghan effect”? Do the royals buy their own local clothes or is this a smart move from designers?

Max Brenner latest casualty of tough times?Luxury chocolate chain Max Brenner goes into voluntary administration and an uncertain future. What does this mean for the brand? Shop the City starts in Brisbane’s CBD with all the stores in the Queen Street Mall precinct participating in events such as pop-up icecream bars; special in-store sales; and entertainment. Kmart in-store checkout location (in the centre of the stores vs at the exit) is still causing customer complaints. What is Kmart doing—if anything—to recitify? What is the issue?

Today, the retail panel heads to Coles, where they’ve stopped giving out plastic bags for free…but are handing out tiny plastic collectibles instead. They also discuss a shifting retail climate in Brisbane’s CBD and how to customise your own personal shoe collection.

Leadership crisis heightens nerves in retail What’s the impact of a leadership crisis in Canberra on both retail shoppers and the big end of town? The groceries will still need buying, but larger businesses are worried about the Coalition’s decision to scrap its big-business tax cut policy. And while Australians are arguably the losers in this leadership crisis, one 30-year-old American man called Peter Dutton is a surprising winner.

The tech store defying the oddsStores selling music and technology are typically struggling with the rise of Amazon. So what is JB Hi-Fi doing to become the seventh largest electronics retailer in the world?

And a famous Australian biscuit brand has fiddled with the sacred ‘Iced Vo-Vo’ and turned it into a cake. Are they any good?

Does Brisbane need more high-end stores? There are more luxury brands planned for Brisbane’s CBD. But do we have too many?Do we lack the local, boutique shopping experience? Is the mall a tourist drawcardor are we lacking something?

Do we want healthy vending machines? Corporate companies are replacing chocolate and chip vending machines with ones that dispense fruit and nuts. Is this responsible or do we deserve the right to a late night soft drink? And with the international push to ditch the straw, how are we going to drink a slurpee?

eBay v Amazon in AustraliaDo you still use eBay or are you now using Amazon to get goods from overseas. According to the experts, eBay is ramping up its services as Amazon looks to take hold in Australia and it might just be working. And, there is about to be lots more of your favourite weekend sausage sizzle locations (aka Bunnings Warehouse). Where? It’s a secret.

Just a coffee, pleaseQueensland’s retail sector has recorded its lowest growth in almost a decade and some retailers say it is the worst they have seen. The state’s shoppers spent $9 billion on coffee though, so it seems we are keen for caffeine and not much else. And are some Brisbane electronic stores seeing whole days go by with zero customers?

Toys ‘R’ BustThe Retail Panel predicted it in March—toy retailer Toys ‘R’ Us was in danger. This week the retail chain announced it would shut down in Australia, closing 44 stores and affecting about 700 employees after administrators failed to find a local buyer. And, you have heard of a co-worker, but what is “co-working” and how would it work for clothing brands?

What has Target done wrong?Retail chain Target has announced about half of its stores are running at a loss. The chain has offered cheap homewares and fashion similar to its major competitor, K-Mart. So what went wrong?

Qantas consider ‘opt in’ meals and all things Shanghai Shopping!Would you be happy to pay for meals and services on your next flight?Qantas are currently surveying customers to find out if they’d be happy to pay extra for meals, checked in baggage and in-flight entertainment on their next flight. Is this a win for the consumer or for Qantas themselves?

We ask The Retail Panel: CEO of the National Retail Association Dominique Lamb, Associate Professor at QUT’s Business School Dr. Gary Mortimer, and founder of Brand Audits, Christine Moody.

Others walked away with a free trolley of groceries. When an IT outage caused Woolworths checkouts to crash across the country the supermarket was forced to respond instantly. Was their response adequate? Could they have done it better?

We ask The Retail Panel: CEO of the National Retail Association Dominique Lamb, Associate Professor at QUT’s Business School Dr. Gary Mortimer, and founder of Brand Audits Christine Moody.

Commonwealth Games retail woes!The 600,000+ visitor numbers has not translated into a retail boom for Queensland retailers. Are retailers on the Gold Coast and within Brisbane’s 4000 postcode taking advantage of the 24/7 trading hours during the Games?

We ask The Retail Panel: Dr Gary Mortimer Associate Professor at QUT’s Business School, founder of Brand Audits Christine Moody, and CEO of the National Retail Association Dominque Lamb.

………………………………………………………………………..Broadcast: Thursday 22 March 2018.

My oh Myer!Department store Myer has posted a hefty first-half loss of more than $476 million. What’s driven the loss and will it do further long-term damage to the Myer brand?

Is this RIP for Toys ‘R’ Us?Reports out of the US suggest the bankrupt toy retailer is preparing to sell or close all 885 stores in the US chain, putting 33,000 jobs at risk.So what does this mean for their Australian arm with 39 stores across the country? And why have Toys ‘R’ Us joined the growing list of retailers going bust?

What’s the deal with Doughnut Time?CEO of the National Retail Association Dominque Lamb, Associate Professor at QUT’s Business School Gary Mortimer and founder of Brand Audits Christine Moody chat businesses that have gone bust and a limited edition aussie doll some are hoping to get their hands on.

Do Harley-Davidson make more from t-shirts than motorbikes?If you ride a Harley-Davidson chances are you do it while also wearing the Harley t-shirt, the belt, a Harley watch, and maybe a bandana. So is it true what they say or just an urban myth? Do Harley-Davidson make more from t-shirts than motorbikes?

Ding Dong! Avon…leaving!Long-standing home shopping brand Avon announced they’re withdrawing from Australia. In its heyday Avon was not only a shopping network but also a social outlet and income opportunity for savvy householders. So where did it all go wrong?

We ask The Retail Panel—Dominique Lamb CEO of the National Retail Association, Associate Professor at QUT’s Business School Dr. Gary Mortimer, and founder of Brand Audits Christine Moody.

………………………………………………………………………..Broadcast: Thursday 09 February 2018.

Why do shoppers love Kmart so much?Popularity of the Kmart brand has gone through the roof in recent years but it’s come at a cost. Department store Target also owned by Wesfarmers will downsize the retail chain, some stores may even be converted to the Kmart brand. So how can one company nail one brand yet fail with the other?

We ask The Retail Panel—Dominique Lamb CEO of the National Retail Association, Associate Professor at QUT’s Business School Dr Gary Mortimer, and founder of Brand Audits Christine Moody.

………………………………………………………………………..Broadcast: Thursday 25 January 2018.

Why are department stores struggling?Department stores have been struggling in recent times with the explosion of online shopping. Meanwhile, business is booming for electronic goods store JB Hi-Fi.

Steve Austin is joined by retail experts Christine Moody from Brand Audits, Dominique Lamb from the National Retail Association, and Gary Mortimer from QUT’s School of Business to discuss these issues and more.

………………………………………………………………………..Broadcast: Thursday 01 February 2018.

Where have all the Paddington shops gone?Foot traffic on Given Terrace at Paddington is beginning to slow. Take a walk down the once popular shopping strip and you’re greeted with an increasing number of empty shopfronts as businesses move or close down altogether.

Why? Find out as The Retail Panel investigates.

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